I have always thought of a ‘warrior’ and a ‘gentleman’ as mutually exclusive words. We can either be one or the other- not both. But then, “exception proves the rule”. If there can be an exception to this rule, it would be Vijay Bhalla!
A valiant warrior he was! Think of how many tough health battles he fought ever so bravely in the last decade of his life. From Diabetes with renal complications to metastatic Prostate carcinoma to laryngeal carcinoma with associated complications- you name, and he faced them. And that too with a smiling face and an unparalleled courage and spirit. When I last met him in Amritsar in May 2022, his physical health had taken a toll on him but not his mental determination. He met us all as usual- the same cheerful Vijay that we had always known.
On the lighter side, nobody could compete with him in his proxy calling skills in class for his dear friends! Of course, nothing comes free in life- the cost could be as high as a Burfee each time!
His whistling skills were world class! Too bad it is not considered an Olympic sport. Haha!
And what a gentleman he was! Extremely friendly, polite, sincere, honest and shy too! He was a friend to all and enemy to none. He treasured his friendships. So did we.
When his dear and dedicated son Varun posts for him in our classmates WhatsApp group even after he has left us, it shows how much love he enjoyed within his family. I shed a tear when I saw Varun’s posts in our group.
Yes, he will live in our hearts forever.
Thank you, Vijay, for enriching our lives!
-Baldev
